Page 64 of Mountain Protector

“Of course.” I’d do literally anything to keep her smiling. “Do you want to watch the movie? The desserts are at my place since I didn’t want to ruin the surprise, but I can run over and get them?—”

“Or we could jump ahead to the sex part?”

That, I wasn’t expecting. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.” Confidence seeps back into her expression, and her chin lifts. “I absolutely do. As long as you still?—”

“Yes.” It’s louder than I intended. More gently, I repeat, “Yes, Lark. I do. I’ve been dreaming about being with you. As long as you’re ready.”

“I’m ready.” She gets off my lap and walks over to the tree, tossing a sexy smirk over her shoulder as she goes. “I’ve been dreaming about being with you, too.”

And then she turns so the tree is framed behind her, the lights dancing across her hair and skin. “Something else I’ve dreamed about?”

Part of me wants to leap up and rush over there, but another part is desperately curious to see what Lark will do next. “What else have you dreamed about?”

One dress strap slips over her shoulder.

Then the other.

She brushes her hair over her shoulders, liquid fire trailing down her back.

“I’ve dreamed about being with you in front of the tree. With all the lights and the fire going and—” Pausing, she pulls the dress down to her waist, revealing a very sexy black lace bra beneath it. “I thought it would be romantic. But also sexy. Like you’re my special gift.”

Suddenly, my pants are too tight.

The temperature feels like it just jumped twenty degrees.

“Oh.” It’s hard to speak. Hard to form coherent thoughts. All my focus is on Lark’s gorgeous body, being unveiled bit by bit. Her fair skin, dusted with pale freckles everywhere. Her slim waist and flaring hips that?—

Shit.

There goes the dress.

With an enigmatic smile, Lark pulls her dress the rest of the way off and drops it to the ground.

And oh, my.

I knew Lark was gorgeous, but in reality, I had no idea. Not until now.

Wearing just scraps of filmy black lace, all of her body is on glorious display. All the freckles—oh, I could spend hours kissing all of them—and her toned legs and small curves and… is that a little tattoo on her hip?

“Is that a tattoo?”

Lark smiles, this time a little shyly. “Yes. Do you want to see it?”

Were my pants this small before? Did they somehow shrink by magic?

I’ve never been this hard. Never wanted a woman more. But for some reason, I’m glued to the couch, just staring at her.

“Um. Knox?” Pink touches her cheeks. “Are you going to come over here?”

Fuck. I’m screwing this up already.

Jumping up from the couch, I cross the room in three strides, stopping only inches away from her.

“Yes,” I reply, in what I think Lark would consider my growly voice.

Desire flares in her eyes and her nipples go taut. So, yes.

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